


Remnant of the Warring States  - The great war

by IdeaHunter



Series: Remnant of the Warring states [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Ancient China AU, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Civil War, Multi, Nuts and Dolts Fluff, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-22 13:16:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22716646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdeaHunter/pseuds/IdeaHunter
Summary: The land of Remnant is a marvelous land which gives birth to many talented and virtuous men and women. Long years of peace reigned over the land thanks to the wise leadership of the emperors and the bravery of the local warlords.But the disappearance of the last emperor, the ascent of his young son at the throne and a colossal uprising movement known as the "White Fangs" has thrown the country into chaos. Now the various warlords are left without a lead, no one to swear their loyalty to, no one to hold their ambitions. Who will emerge as a leading figure and a unificator in this turbulent period?The Great War:After defeating the tyrannical Cardin, the warlords settled down in the preparation for the emperor's son return as a grown and capable leader. But the fall of the Imperial capital Beacon, held by the Valorous Pyrhha, announces a grave danger profiling at the horizon...
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ilia Amitola/Weiss Schnee, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Neopolitan & Roman Torchwick, Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose, Raven Branwen & Vernal
Series: Remnant of the Warring states [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633666
Comments: 2





	1. Never ending Problems

The girl opened her eyes disturbed by the rays of the sun that entered from the windows. She sat on the side of the bed, stretching as she searched for the black silk shoes near the bed. He put them on and got up completely, rubbing her eyes and leaving the room for breakfast: a bowl of milk and some fruits would've certainly gave her the energy to face another hard day. She didn't even bother to fix her hair or wash her face, looking at these actions as of secondary importance to her need for food. Entering the hall she saw only one boy standing near the low wooden table, ready with breakfast on a tray. The girl sat cross-legged in front of the table on which the boy placed two bowls, one full of fresh milk and the other with very good looking grapes and bananas inside. She looked at the food in front of her, then with a wave of the hand dismissed the boy, who went out without saying a word; the girl took the cup in her hands and began to drink the milk calmly, without haste, enjoying it in peace in the tranquility of the morning.

She was almost finished drinking when a man covered in a robe of the color of the flames ran into the room, panting and throwing himself on his knees at a suitable distance from the table; he gave the girl the military salute, that is, putting his left fist closed in his right hand, then he spoke in a frightened voice: "My lord! I must give you a very serious and extremely important news!" The girl let out a disconsolate sigh, lowering the bowl back onto the table, annoyed at being interrupted during the most important meal of her day: "Speak"

The man lowered his head a little before obeying: "My lord, I have just received a message from Nexi Qiao"

The girl turned her full attention to the man: "Pyrrha? What does the message say?"

The man hesitated a moment before speaking: "My lord...it is with enormous grief that I must tell you that...Beacon has fallen"

_________________________________________________

The land of Remnant is a wonderful land, which grows talented and determined men in the midst of landscapes worthy of being immortalized by the best existing painters. The various provinces into which the nation is divided allowed a homogeneous control of the economic and social situation by the government in Beacon, at the center of which was the figure of the emperor, whose dynasty for generations led the people towards growth and abundance. However, a series of misfortunes hit this land introducing an unprecedented period of chaos: among these important misfortunes are the mysterious disappearance of the emperor Wu Shi, courtesy name Ozpin, and the consequent confirmation of his ten years-old son Wu Zhen, or Oscar, on the imperial seat and the revolt movement of the self-defined "White Fangs, inspired by the aggressive thought of the philosopher Hu Hàn, or Sienna, and led by the young fanatic Niù Dang, or Adam; in this turbulent period of crisis, a ruthless warlord named Jin Quan, or Cardin, headed towards the capital announcing that he would tame the 2,500 rioters who surrounded the city thanks to an army that exceeded 50,000 men; but who could have imagined that such military force was not only to put White Fangs in check, but also Beacon itself?

The traitor imposed himself as regent of the young emperor, and Remnant experienced a dark and miserable period, with the people torn between the violence of the rioters and the cruelty of the tyrant who, from the capital, oppressed the country with heavy taxes. But this tyranny was short-lived: after just a year after the coup, an alliance was formed by some of the best warlords in the country, loved men in their home provinces who could no longer stand idle while their houses were sacked to satisfy the whims of the tyrant Cardin. With a very ingenious and masterfully coordinated tactic, the various warlords simultaneously struck the tyrannical forces located in all the provinces, leaving the central army weak and vulnerable to the assault of the armies led by Nexi Qiao, or Pyrrha, and Mei Bao, or Ruby. However, the siege ended before it even began when the imperial forces, probably frightened at the sight of the enemy armies and aware that they would be destroyed if they fought, presented the two armies with the severed head of the tyrant as a sign of peace; the news of the usurper's death quickly made the rounds of the provinces, soon becoming a reason for cheerful celebrations, songs and poems to celebrate the virtue of the alliance that had freed the people from the tight grip of tyranny.

However, in the capital the problems were not over: in fact it was not yet clear who between Ruby and Pyrrha should've become the new regent of the emperor, acquiring even more power and influence throughout the land. The issue was very delicate, as well as the cause of violent quarrels between the two leaders which more than once risked ending in blood, if not for the officers of the aforementioned leaders who had learned to keep an eye on their lords to prevent their discussions to result in violence. After several months of tension and blades at each other's throat, an agreement was reached that allowed to calm the parties in question enough to allow mutual tolerance: Ruby would become the regent, but Pyrrha would maintain control over the capital. The emperor would have been temporarily transferred to the city of Signal, on the fortified island of Patch, where he would have been raised and instructed by Ruby to become an emperor worthy of this title; once he completed his studies and his growth he would return to Beacon, administered in his absence by Pyrrha, to reclaim his status as emperor and restore unity and peace throughout Remnant.

Or so it should have been, if it hadn't been for that completely unexpected and catastrophic development. Ruby felt the blood leaving her face as soon as she heard the words of her messenger and for a few moments she remained inert, not knowing what to say. But then a thought pierced her mind forcefully, bringing with it terror and concern: "And Pyrrha? Where is she now?"

The messenger swallowed worried, not daring to look his lord in the face: "My lord...Nexi Qiao...right now is in the city of Kuroyuri, hosted by Lie Ren. During the siege...she was seriously injured...and her conditions are uncertain" The girl sprang to her feet with terror, guilt and pain painted on her face, while her heart was on the verge of collapsing on itself because of the concern for her dear friend; she turned to the messenger in a broken and desperate voice: "Prepare me a horse and a boat! I'm leaving immediately!" the man nodded and ran out of the room, while the girl ran back to her rooms to get ready.

When she reached the pier, the girl saw several men waiting for her, including her uncle Wù Liang, or Qrow, who ran towards her as soon as he saw her: "Kiddo, I heard what happened to Pyrrha. The boat is ready and the horse is already aboard" The girl nodded: "Very well" "Do you want me to come with you?" Ruby looked seriously at her uncle and general in command in the eyes, trying to hide the haste and the worry: "No. You must stay here to take care of the citadel in my absence. Especially now we cannot leave the emperor alone" Qrow saluted her and nodded: "Very well. Please, be careful" Ruby said nothing, she simply got on board and hurried off to Kuroyuri.

She arrived in the fortified city after two weeks of wild running, interrupted only to eat and sleep; in front of the doors there was a large bustle of people of all kinds but the soldiers immediately recognized the girl and escorted her inside the walls all the way to the entrance of the palace of Kuroyuri, where they told her to wait while one of the guards went to announce her to their lord. And she didn't had to wait long, because after a few minutes a boy came out of the door covered in a green dress finely embroidered and decorated with pinkish designs; he ran to meet her, doing the civil salute, that is putting his left hand behind his right hand: "Thank you for coming all the way here with so little notice, Ruby" The girl returned the greeting and asked anxiously : "Ren, where's Pyrrha?" The boy made her way through the palace to the room where the wounded warlord was hospitalized: lying on the bed, her whole chest was bandaged and a large stain of blood could be seen on the bandages just above the breast; every now and then the face contracted in a grimace of pain, probably due to the difficulty in breathing, and after a long and slow sigh it returned to relax, but with an increasingly weaker look. To watch over her was one of her most trusted officers, a young blond named Yue Jian, courtesy name Jaune, who gave her the civil salute as soon as he saw her: "it's nice see you here, ma'am. My lord has often invoked your name in her troubled dreams"

Ruby felt her heart torn by the news and knelt beside Pyrrha trying to resist the urge to cry; she took her hand as if fearing that it could slip away and tried to reassure her by appearing as calm as possible: "Pyrrha...It's me...i'm here..." The wounded warlord weakly opened her eyes and looked at her, cracking a weak but warm smile: "Ruby ... I'm so glad ... to see you ..."

The girl could no longer hold back the tears, which came down her cheeks like raindrops on the windows of a house: "I...I'm sorry...I shouldn't have been so stubborn for that position...I should have stayed with you and fight by your side, I-" Pyrrha slowly put a finger on her lips to silence her: "Ruby...you haven't done anything wrong...if you had stayed here...you would have ended up in my same condition, if not worse...and the emperor would be in the hands of the enemy" then smiled:" seeing you here...already makes me feel much better...and I am heartened to know...that the emperor is safe and sound" Ruby sobbed in anguish: "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." Pyrrha smiled without saying anything, simply laying down and starting dozing again. Jaune put a hand on Ruby's shoulder: "My lord needs to rest. Please, leave us alone". The girl got up, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her dress, and walked out ruefully.

"So what do we know about the invader?" Ruby and Ren were sitting in the great hall of Kuroyuri's palace over a cup of tea, discussing about the attack. The boy crossed his fingers in a meditative pose: "Pyrrha's officers report that it was a woman who called herself Huo Fan, who led an army of 700,000 men and armed with several siege engines, to attack. The siege must have been planned quite some time ago, given the massive power employed" The girl stroked her chin thoughtfully: "Huo Fan ... I already heard this name somewhere..." Ren looked at her while putting the cup back on the table: "Sounds familiar to me too. Doesn't she come from some northen region?" Ruby sighed: "Maybe. But now we have other things to think about: the capital is occupied by a warlord of whom we know very little, but who has just proved overwhelming military power. The newly gained stability is again at risk". She turned to look Ren in the eye: "This situation requires extraordinary countermeasures. As soon as I return to Signal I will send a message to the other Warlords who fought against Cardin's forces. I am sure they will mobilize against this threat" Ren nodded, finishing his tea, then he stood up: "I suppose you are very tired after this long travel. I will have a room prepared for you for the night, so tomorrow you can leave as soon as possible for Signal." Ruby stood up to thank him with a civil greeting and a deep bow: "I am very grateful, Ren"

Ruby set off very early in the morning, knowing how much she needed to travel before reaching the island; with the danger looming on the horizon, she couldn't afford even a second of rest. There were many things to prepare, many messages to write and send, a meeting to organize...the mere thought of start another military campaign like the one from which they had just come out of was enough to made her shiver. But she had no choice; the fall of Beacon and the defeat of Pyrrha represented a declaration of war addressed to the emperor and all his supporters, and she as regent and friend of the wounded warlord was the first to feel insulted by such aggressive action. An insult that she wasn't willing to leave unpunished


	2. War Council

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, IdeaHunter here. Soooooooo, this chapter ended up a little longer than i expected, but i'm really proud of it nonetheless.  
> So, Enjoy!

From the window of his rooms, a young boy observed the docking of the ships of the last leaders. Just a month after the emergency appeal for the Beacon invasion was sent, four leaders and their respective second in command had gathered at Patch to discuss what to do, not to mention Ren and Ruby; all these six were brave, brave and intelligent men, as well as veterans of many hard battles. The boy could not help but feel in awe in the presence of these great warriors ... although he shouldn't have reason to.

The door to the room opened, and a blond man entered carrying a black wooden box with him; he bowed: "Your Excellency, the hour of the meeting is approaching. It is time to prepare." The boy turned to look at him, smiling: "Yes. Thanks Taiyang" "Your thanks honor me, Excellency". The boy began to change into his official clothes, helped by his personal guardian: a slow process permeated with a ceremonious calm, just like all his daily actions.

He is the cause of everything.

This thought never failed in bringing him a knot at the height of his stomach every time it flashed in his mind. Every soldier killed, every city razed, all that destructive chaos was born because he is the emperor. Sometimes he wondered if the country would've stay united if he was born a peasant and there was someone more capable in his place. But after all it wasn't his fault: he hadn't decided to be born in the imperial family, had he? An old saying goes: "Only three things cannot be decided by ourselves: where, when and by whom we come into the world". However, as much as he tried to shake off the responsibility for those disorders, the sense of guilt always came back to crush him with renewed vigor. When he was done dressing, Oscar turned nervously to his tutor: "Taiyang ... I'm afraid to make a bad impression on the guests. What will they think of me when they understand that their emperor does not know how to handle this crisis?" The man gave him a calm and patient smile: "Your Excellency, don't be afraid. No one expects you to take over the reins of the country yet. It will be sufficient to show yourself calm and resolute to earn the respect of these warriors" The boy heaved a long sigh, trying to relax: "Okay ... okay. Thank you very much" "Don't thank me, Excellency. It is my duty to assist you, especially in this difficult period" Oscar smiled at him and headed towards the salon, ready for the council.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The room was large, supported by many, masterfully decorated pillars and adorned with draperies depicting the landscapes of the island of Patch. A large, finely carved golden throne, the width of which more reminiscent of a sofa than a chair, stood opposite the bronze door allowing anyone who sat on it not to even have to move their heads to be able to see every corner of the room. Before the throne stood a low ebony table and, next to it, a chair designated the place of the imperial regent. For that particular occasion, cushions had been positioned in two rows in front of the throne so that whoever sat there could face both the emperor and the other guests; and on those cushions, at that moment, five great figures were seated accompanied by their best military advisors, standing behind them. The news of Beacon's fall had come as a violent whirlwind that threatened to become the hurricane of a war, and none of those present was too fond of it; so, just a month after the terrible event, Remnant's best warlords stood before the emperor to decide what measures to take.

A blonde woman, whose golden dress covered the abundant curves but betrayed the lack of her right arm, spoke from her place in a fiery voice: "This invader had the audacity to attack the symbol of the stability of the imperial government, launching a declaration of war to this country! She wounded not only a dear friend of ours, but also a hero, an example of civil virtue and military talent! We cannot let such an ignomy go unpunished!"

The words of the warlord Yang Xiao Long were harsh and did not even try to cover her anger (quality, this, which had earned the woman the nickname "One-armed dragon of the south"); but the response they received was cold and calm: "The current situation does not play in our favor. Our armies are still weak after the conflict against Cardin, and the reports received speak of a colossal army with no less than 700,000 men. While this act is truly an unforgivable affront, we are not in a position to openly punish the attacker". The mouth from which these words came belonged to a young and graceful warlord with white hair like the snow of the northen mountains, who answered the name of Xùe Bai, courtesy name Weiss.

Ren entered the speech, straightening a lock of hair: "An army of such proportions requires a considerable investment of resources: first of all the weapons and armor for the soldiers; then the materials necessary to build camps for the night or for eventual sieges; and finally, more importantly, food for the men and the horses. Without taking into account the effort that the transport of siege weapons poses, I would say that their subsistence costs them 170 barns of grain a month. Even considering how well equipped Beacon is, it's not possible that they will be able to maintain such a force for continuous periods of time: the capital's income, in the current situation, is not sufficient to cover the subsistence of 700,000 men"

This words met the response of a woman dressed in a very refined way, whose brown hair fell elegantly on the shoulder: "This analysis is certainly precise and thoughtful, but it does not take into account a fundamental factor: the ambition of the invader. Even if the enemy incomes are low now, these can always grow with new conquests and military actions. The capital, isolated from the other provinces as it is now, manages to maintain an average of 70,000 men and 3,000 horses annually: but the conquest of other neighboring provinces would allow to the enemy to increase the income needed to maintain those 700,000 in no time. " Ren sighed, recognizing the truth in the observation of the leader Keke Wen, courtesy name Coco.

Ruby, who until then had been limited to listening, decided to take the word: "Each of you is making excellent points in favor of your thoughts, and is demonstrating the wisdom required to fill your role. But we need a decisive and immediate action, to prevent further damage to the reputation of the emperor and his faithfuls". This intervention brought quiet to the hall, now filled by the concern of the present; it was Ren who broke the silence by addressing the regent: "Ruby, your promptness of spirit and resoluteness in the face of the crisis are truly worthy of your role. Coco's observation is true: if the enemy decided to subjugate the neighboring provinces to the capital it could have access to the resources needed to maintain its military strength even for prolonged campaigns. So our priority now is to prevent this from happening. " All eyes were locked on Ren, who continued: "I propose to set up a blockade around the capital that will keep an eye on the enemy's movements. None of her messengers will be able to pass, and any attempt at military action will be promptly stop before they can even begin"

On hearing that plan, a man with a gray dress and dark skin took the word: "My province is directly threatened by this mysterious invader and my people fear for their safety: I am completely in favor of this plan" Ren gave a short bow to thank his supporter Huo Shin, known as Flynt, before Ruby spoke again: "It seems like a good plan. But before I put it into practice I would like to hear something from your generals." The aforementioned, who until then had been listening behind their lords, came forward to face the regent. "Your lords have discussed for a long time before coming to this solution and I am sure you have thought many things so far. But now I want to address you directly" The generals said nothing, patiently waiting for the regent's question "You are the ones who they know better the military situation in your provinces, so I ask you: do you think you can carry out such a work? "

The generals thought for a few moments; the silence was broken by a woman with black hair like a crow's wing and piercing golden eyes, who made the civil salute from her position next to Yang: "Illustrious regent, I can only say the situation of the southern provinces. And it pains me to tell you that...our military situation is not good". Once she made sure to have everyone's attention, she continued: "unfortunately our soldiers have not had a moment of peace since the tyrant Cardin departed from this world: in fact my home province of Managerie, of which Yang has control, is also the birthplace of the White Fangs rebellion, and in this period the riots have reached exasperating levels to say the least. Let's not forget that it was precisely in one of these revolts that my lord lost her right arm" To hear in the words of her partner, Yang startled. However Ruby did not waver: "Go ahead, Hei Mao" The woman nodded and continued: "I do not deny that this invader is a much more serious problem than the rioters...but I fear that the people do not think the same way. I'm sorry, but we can't afford to disengage the soldiers" with these words the woman stepped aside, waiting for a response from the regent, who, however, simply stroked her chin with a meditative tone: "I understand ... thanks He-no, Blake. Thank you, Blake." The woman had a little gasp at being called by her courtesy name, an honor that normally would only belong to her lord and mate, but said nothing.

The next to speak was a woman with hard but graceful features, dressed in a crystal white armor, who spoke next to Weiss: "Illustrious Regent, the situation in the province of Atlas is optimal for the realization of the work" Weiss did a slight sigh and turned to her general: "Winter, there is no need to have such a military attitude. Relax a moment and explain the situation well, please" The woman stiffened for a second in response to the reprimanding, but immediately relaxed back and resumed: "Please forgive my behaviour, unsuitable for the situation. However, what I said does not change: Atlas' armed forces have been waiting for something to do for some time now, and such a work is just what they need to move a little. " Ruby sketched a smile before speaking: "And do you think you have sufficient resources to do the work? The enthusiasm not accompanied by the means to support it's a dangerous thing for those who have it." The expression on Winter's face stiffened for a moment: "Er...this...is our real problem. Unfortunately we are running out of wheat for men and material for the cities, and we can barely feed the army and shelter the people. Our provinces are harsh lands, and the conflict against the tyrant has taken a heavy toll on our economy. " Ruby nodded thoughtfully and was about to consult another general when, for the first time since that meeting had started, a young voice was heard from behind the regent's back

"Hei Mao" All eyes were fixed on Oscar who, seated on the throne, now spoke: "The province of Managerie is a fertile land, blessed with abundance. Have your strifes with the rioters inflicted losses on your stocks of grain and wood?"

Blake thought for a moment, then addressed the civil greeting and a deep bow to the emperor: "Your eminence, the wisdom you show in this young age is a very good omen for the future of this country. I think I have understood your intentions, and I am honored to witness so much foresight; our warehouses are well-stocked, and as much as the fights drain the reserves, we are always able to replenish the stocks promptly. " Weiss finally understood the intentions of the emperor, and threw herself into a bow so deep that her forehead touched the floor: "Please forgive this fatuous lady for not having understood your plan with the same promptness as Hei Mao. We will immediately work to establish solid lines of communication between Atlas and Managerie, endeavoring for our men to make wise use of the resources that will come from Yang's warehouses. "

Ruby gave the emperor a wide smile before returning to the men before her: "Please continue. It is very important to hear everyone's situation." The general who had remained behind Coco, a large, robust man with dark skin and greenish armor addressed the military salute to the regent before speaking in a low but firm tone: "Madam, the troops of the eastern province of Vacuo they are in great shape, and our warehouses are full. Such an effort would not create technical difficulties for us ". Ruby looked at the man: "What's your name?" "Guo Tu or, if you prefer, Yatsuhashi". Ruby did not take his eyes off him: "Yatsuhashi, your words have made me sure of your collaboration; yet I feel that you are hiding something from me. Do not be afraid to expose your opinions, whatever they are" The man looked down before to answer: "Madam, your perspicacity is worthy of reverence, and I am ashamed to have tried to hide something from you. Please forgive me" Coco looked at her general, who dared not look up even when he spoke: "I said that the troops are ready and in a good mood; but we must bear in mind that the province of Vacuo is a natural fortress, whose borders are defended by a maze of impassable ravines and mountains; this has made its people indifferent towards the rest of the world. They consider themselves untouchable, separated from this nation and immune to any external change: I don't know how popular a measure would be to protect lands that the people don't care about" Ruby scratched her head sighing: "I see...thanks Yatsuhashi".

The man stepped aside, and in his place a woman with orange hair and lively eyes came forward with the military salute: "In the province of Kuroyuri preparations are already being made for the making of the blockade!" Ren ran a hand over his face exasperated as soon as he heard the words of his general: "Nora ... you will end up giving the wrong idea ..." The woman pouted her lord before returning to the regent: "I mean...we are just waiting for the word. The men are ready for any order." Ruby looked at the all too energetic general Shan Diao with a worried expression: "Nora ... please, use part of your energies in the treating of Pyhrra. There are nights when I can't even sleep because of the worry". That last sentence earned from everyone present some astounded but understanding looks. Nora abandoned her lively and childish behavior in favor of a more serious and mature one: "Certainly. Our best doctors keep an eye on her day and night, striving to the limit of their strength to keep her in stable condition. Recently they have seen remarkable improvements, but we have to wait before we can celebrate" The news allowed Ruby to relax a little, but the worried expression did not left her face: "Very well. Please Nora, keep treating her. It means a lot to us. " She just nodded and went back to Ren.

The last to speak was a bluish-haired man who stepped forward from behind Flynt: "As my lord has already said, our province is directly threatened by the expansionist aims of the invader. Our armed forces and the people will put everything they have at stake to block the enemy in any way "Ruby raised an eyelash: "Do you think you can do this without difficulty? " The man nodded: "Yes ma'am. Recently the harvests and the production of timber have been generous, so we have the means and the will to carry out with the plan" The regent smiled: "Excellent. Then we don't need anything else" General Gu Jin, courtesy name Kobalt, made a small bow before returning to his seat.

Ruby stood up, looking solemnly: "Listen well, everyone! By imperial decree, I declare the invader who responds to the name of Huo Fan enemy of the emperor and of this nation! I order that the stability and legitimacy of the imperial power are maintained by any means necessary! I approve the institution of the blockade around the capital, in order to contain and exhaust the enemy army in preparation for an offensive that could punish this outrage once and for all!" All those present greeted the emperor and his regent bowing and answering together: "We will obey the emperor!". And with that the meeting broke up.

\----------------------------------------------------

That night, alone in his room, Oscar went over the events of that day lying in his bed. Although his speech had been appreciated and praised (Ruby herself had almost squeezed him a few hours after the meeting, unable to contain the joy), he did not believe that his idea had been so brilliant: the rivalry between Yang and Weiss was what long known; what if they started competing for command of operations? The situation was already very serious and an internal dispute would have definitively condemned the country.

He sighed. Fatigue was starting to wear him out: thinking in those conditions wouldn't had led to anything. So he blew on the candle, turned over in his bed and fell asleep.


	3. Beauty

It was late afternoon on Patch Island; the clouds covered the heat of the sunrays, bringing a cold wind that made the girl shiver on the balcony of the building. She was observing, in the courtyard of the palace, the preparation of the troops and the wagons that would've transported the necessary for the blockade imposed, by imperial decree, just two weeks before. Her thoughts wandered to the future of the country, to the prospect of war and the possibility of victory, if there were any. She wasn't a pessimistic person, but she wasn't stupid either and she was aware of the dangers involved in the statement made during the council: antagonizing a person who could afford an army of 700,000 men was very risky, but probably the war would've come even if had not been sought. She closed her eyes with a sigh, letting the autumn wind ruffle her short hair; her thought went to the next winter, a period of hardship that year would have been even worse because of military efforts.

She opened her eyes again, caressing the palms of her hands with the cold fingers: the calluses born from years spent working with weapons and armours looked like the bark of an old oak, hard and ugly. A sigh escaped her lips: the thought of a calm life, where she could have been a normal girl was sometimes sweet as honey, but painfully unreachable. And even more painful were the happy memories with her father and sister, images of a past that has disappeared forever and of a life that she could never savor again. The autumn wind blowing against her face made the tears that formed on the sides of her eyes, which she quickly swept away with the sleeve of the dress, almost sharp. As much as she tried to remain strong and adamant, nothing changed the fact that she was still a girl, with her weaknesses and her difficult moments ... and they had come to her one after the other. First her sister who, victim of an ambush of white fangs, lost her right arm and remained for months in an almost unsustainable state of apathy, from which she had managed to recover only thanks to the endless support of her partner; and now Pyrrha, whose last words Ruby told her before her defeat at Beacon were "Don't disappoint us." The thought of how she had treated her best friend destroyed her: the memories of all the quarrels, the insults, the weeks spent not talking to each other crowded her mind, reminding her of how greedy and selfish she had been. She couldn't stop thinking of how, while she was happy and safe with the emperor, her best friend was fiercefully fighting to defend the capital, only to be struck down by an almost fatal blow, sending a agonizing scream to the red-painted skies...

The girl found herself curled up in the corner of her room with her hands cupped around her ears, trying to cover a sound reproduced only in her mind. The tears she had tried to hold back just now were streaming down her cheeks as her chest stirred with sobs. Her attempts to control herself eventually went up in smoke, and she let herself go to a cry full of despair and fear of having condemned her friends, her family, her countrymen to die at the hands of a demon who was now launching his hungry gaze towards other provinces, eager for conquest. She buried her face into her hands, trying not to show the world how weak and pathetic his supposed protector was.

"Ruby?".

The door opened slowly, almost giving the girl a heart attack, and a large pair of green eyes locked on the silver ones clouded with tears. The sense of weakness and shame reached unsustainable levels when the girl realized that her chief engineer and partner Mu Wan looked at her: "P-Penny...p-please, get out of here..." She promptly disobeyed, approaching her lord with a worried expression. Ruby's voice took on a desperate tone: "Please Penny! J-just get out! You shouldn't see me so...so...weak!". The other continued to approach until she was in front of her lord, her gaze worried but at the same time patient and loving; the black-haired girl felt crushed by shame and tried to make herself as small as possible, in a desperate attempt to hide her vulnerability to her partner.

She was expecting worried questions: "Are you okay?" "Do you want to tell me what happens?" "Do you feel bad?" and so on and so forth, but she heard nothing. When she looked up she saw only a calloused hand reaching out to her and Penny's smile, calm and serene; for a moment, just for a moment, Ruby remembered her mother and how she gave her the same smile when she came home crying for a cut on a finger or a peeled knee, picking her up and cradling her sweetly. Eventually she gave in and, with tears on her cheeks, took the hand.

They spent about forty-five minutes sitting in bed, Ruby curled up on Penny's chest, letting go of everything that went through her mind in between the sobs while the other rocked her slowly, listening to everything without interrupting. The room was immersed in silence while the warrior was enjoying the sensation of the engineer's calloused hands passing through her hair, sighing slowly and hugging her: "Penny?" "Yes, Ruby?" "Aren't you ashamed of having me as lord?" Light green met bright silver "What do you mean?" "I mean ... I mean ... look at me!" the girl opened her arms trying to show everything she didn't appreciate in herself: "I am a terrible leader! I am childish, emotional, and a crybaby It just takes sweets to bribe me and I look at every weapon as if it were a precious treasure! I don't...I don't deserve to have you as subordinate. I don't deserve any of the men that follow me."Penny smiled, taking her lord's hands in hers: "Ruby, tell me honestly: if one day Yang came here and offered me to work for her paying me double what you pay me, offering me lands, riches and a mansion where to live until the end of my days, do you think I would accept? " The other did not reply, simply watching the girl gently caress her hands while talking "Of course not. I wouldn't build even a bow for someone besides you, even if they tortured me for five weeks straight. I swore to serve you, Ruby, of my own will and not because they forced me; and this is true for me as for Qrow as for everyone. You do not realize how much we love you, and everything you have listed before makes us love you even more. " Penny approached her lord to give a quick kiss on her forehead: "You are a great leader and a wonderful person, and you shouldn't let anyone say otherwise. Not even yourself. Okay?". Ruby made an effort not to let other tears escape her eyes, resting her forehead on that of the engineer: "I love you a world of good, Penny" She smiled, stroking Ruby's shoulder: "Me too Ruby"

It was evening by now on Patch Island, and the clouds had thinned enough to show the sun setting behind the sea. The two girls, standing on the balcony, admired that wonderful view smiling, one next to the other. The calluses on their hands, previously a hard and ugly bark, were now the most beautiful feature they had.


End file.
